Last Modified: Friday, October 11, 2013 at 8:35 p.m.

Around 500 people came out and raised nearly $10,000 for Mainstay, which provides support services and a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

Before the march began, there was a block party on Fifth Avenue with games, music, balloons, a kids' craft kids and plenty of snacks. Hannah Flanagan's restaurant donated 10 percent of the night's profits to Mainstay. After the procession, a panel of judges chose Mark Murrill as the man with the best strut.

Tonya Blackford, director of Mainstay, said the organization's needs have increased 33 percent over last year due to the number of women seeking shelter.

“Our primary focus (for Walk a Mile) is to get people out and to have fun,” Blackford said. “We started this because it's kind of difficult to get people to come out for a fun, family, violence-awareness event.”

Before they could strut their stuff down Main Street, participants had to choose a pair of heels from Mainstay's collection of red and silver shoes at the Purple Ribbon.

The third shoe was the charm for 23-year-old Hendersonville police officer Josh Buckman, as he assessed the fit of each pair, wriggling his toes around in the unfamiliar heels. Friday was Buckman's first time in heels.

“It could be a little bit better,” Buckman said of the fit. “I think I'll make it; it may just take a while.”

He said he would rather have his work boots on, but was happy to participate.

Of course, no one was left unattended in the shoe department. Mindy Denney, case manager for Mainstay, was one of many volunteers ready to help each man pick the prefect pair.

“Some of them are really smart,” Denney said. “You can tell their wives are obviously involved, because they give them pantyhose.”

Denney said a few tried to go without the socks, then quickly came back, saying their heels were hurting, but they didn't get much sympathy from the female volunteers handing over the socks.

The shoes were only a small part of the ensemble for some of the men participating. Lance “Blue” Linson, 54, was accompanied by his family and motorcycle-riding buddies, but wasn't very recognizable under his pirate hat and eye patch.

His costume was complete with a plastic sword around his waist and white ascot adorning his chest. Linson said he decided to recycle his Halloween costume from last year in hopes of raising more money for the event.

“I've known people who have had problems with domestic violence and anything I can do to help that, that's what I am here for,” Linson said.

Wearing a strawberry blond wig with blue highlights under a red straw hat and a floral dress, Derek Proctor, supervisor for protective services at the Henderson Coounty Department of Social Services, was concerned about embarrassing himself by wearing the wrong size shoe. After picking a smaller size, he asked the volunteers whether they preferred the red or silver pair to match his dress.

Proctor's coworkers said they would all chip in and donate money if he dressed up for the event. One even lent him a dress for the occasion. Being a good sport, Proctor agreed to his co-workers' terms, saying he'd try anything once, especially if it was to help Mainstay.

“They do wonders for our clients, so it's the only way to give back a little bit,” Proctor said.

The pain from the shoes began to bother him, but he said he was going to keep them on.

“I can feel it in my calves already — the angle or whatever,” Proctor said. “Walking's not so bad, and it's not that far.”

Contractor Bill Obermiller tried out the shoes earlier in the week and decided he needed to find himself a more sensible pair of heels. He bought his own from Goodwill.

“I have to play the game, but I just couldn't do the 4-inch heels,” Obermiller said. His pair of red heels had a shorter, wider heel, which he practiced in at home to prepare for the event.

“In my industry, there is a lot of domestic violence because you've got a lot of alcohol and substance abuse, and I see it first-hand — the aggressive nature of some of the guys I have worked with over the last 40 years,” Obermiller said. “I am here to show that we're not all bad people in the construction business.”

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